From Mad in Italy: In the late 1990s, Judy Singer, an Australian sociologist, coined the term neurodiversity to describe the variety of human neurological functioning. The idea was simple but revolutionary: not all brains work the same, and thinking, learning or feeling differently from the majority is not a defect, but a form of natural diversity, like having eyes of different colors or speaking different languages. Neurodiversity is therefore not a disease to be treated, but an alternative way of living and perceiving the world. From this concept was born that of neurodivergence, used to indicate those who deviate from the functioning considered “typical”. The original goal was clear: to shift the gaze from “pathology” to “diversity”, recognizing that different brains produce different ways of thinking and relating.
Neurodiversity is yet another term and label which is used to divide people. All of us are unique people, but only a few are allowed to truly express themselves and be who they are. The work that people perform or the roles they have in society often limit people’s ways of self expression. Labeling people as neurotypical or neurodiverse is just another way to separate people. Every person has special qualities, some people just aren’t able to develop the unique aspects of their personality as much because of repression and other attempts by the government and other institutions to suppress the human spirit.
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